By Sanaullah Ataullah
DOHA: The soaring mercury has caused a significant drop in fish haul in Qatari waters, leading to a hike in wholesale and retail prices at Central Market Doha.
Some traders argue that the price increase is due to the decline in fish supplies because of low catch as fish go down deep into the water during summer months.
The price of kingfish (chanad) that is preferred by citizens and expatriates was QR52 a kg yesterday at outlets in Central Market. The price of kingfish usually ranges around QR30 a kg during normal weather.
Hamour was sold at QR65 a kg, double the price in normal season. The price of Shari ranged between QR15 and QR18, while in good weather it costs around QR8.
Safi fished in Al Shamal also witnessed a significant price rise — to QR55 a kg from QR35 in normal season, according to consumers.
It ‘is too hot to fish in deep sea’
“It is too hot to fish in deep sea, we returned yesterday after a four-day trip,” a fishermen at the auction at the Central Market told The Peninsula yesterday. “We can stay in sea for five to six day but returned earlier as it was too hot. Fish catch has declined by 50 percent.
“The prices are expected to be high during August and September as catch drops during hot summer months. The prices will begin falling significantly from October as the season changes,” he added.
“I bought a 40kg basket of hamour at the auction last evening for QR2,200. It means QR50 a kg,” said a salesman at an outlet inside the fish market at the Central Market.
“We sell hamour at QR65 a kg. But it does not mean we make QR15 a kg. We have to offer a discount of QR2-3. I am pretty sure that most customers will not give more than QR60 a kg,” said the salesman.
Fish auction takes place twice — early morning (after Fajar prayer) for imported fish and after sunset (from Maghrib prayer) for local fish, said the salesmen.
Prawns, tuna fish and other species are imported from Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Fresh fish is also imported from Pakistan, I think, by air, and auctioned in the morning with foreign stocks,” he added.
The Peninsula
